As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, what can we learn from the relationship between a mother and her children? A mother is often the first person who welcomes a child into the world and is responsible for creating a safe and nurturing environment for them to grow in. In John 14:15-21, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to be with his disciples after he returns to the Father. The Spirit is described as an advocate who will help the disciples understand Jesus’ teachings and keep them connected to him. This passage emphasizes the importance of welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives and allowing it to guide us in our relationships with others.
From my Latino experience, the values of hospitality and community are deeply rooted and cultivated by our mothers. Welcoming others into our homes and lives is considered a sacred duty. This is reflected in the Latinx concept of “familismo,” which emphasizes the importance of family connections and the obligation to care for one’s relatives and even strangers.
On Mother’s Day, we can celebrate the role of mothers in creating a welcoming and nurturing environment for their children. We can also honor the legacy of all mothers who have passed down the values of hospitality and community to future generations. Finally, we can reflect on how we can welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives, allowing it to guide us in our relationships with others and create a more inclusive and welcoming Church and world.
Loving God, help us welcome and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our daily interactions so that we can model Jesus’ ways in all we do and bless all the mothers in the world as we celebrate their contributions to a warmer and more welcoming world. Amen.
